Steven Marshall dismisses defamation claim over allegation Nick Xenophon did a ‘deal’ with Labor

OPPOSITION Leader Steven Marshall has fired off a defiant legal letter to dismiss claims he defamed SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon with claims he’s “done a deal” with Labor.

• Marshall accuses Xenophon of secret deal to hand Labor power
• Mr X launches legal action against Marshall over Labor ‘deal’ claim

OPPOSITION Leader Steven Marshall has fired off a defiant legal letter, dismissing allegations that he defamed SA Best Leader Nick Xenophon when he claimed he’d “done a deal” with Labor.

Mr Xenophon last week demanded Mr Marshall apologise for the comment and followed up that call with a letter of concern that raised the prospect of court action.

Mr Marshall claimed the evidence for his statement was the fact that Mr Xenophon’s new political party is running in more Liberal seats than Labor electorates. After first making the claim without qualification, Mr Marshall a day later said it was his honest opinion based on how the election contest was playing out.

A copy of his return legal letter to Mr Xenophon, obtained by The Advertiser, shows Mr Marshall has rejected requests for a “settlement” and his lawyers say the Opposition Leader “has nothing to apologise for” over the spat.

SA Best leader Nick Xenophon and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall at a leaders’ debate last week. Picture: AAP / Roy Vandervegt

“It is inconceivable that your client would not accept that these were matters of legitimate public debate in the lead up to the state election,” Mr Marshall’s lawyers write.

“Our client has nothing to apologise to your client for because no actionable defamation has occurred.”

Mr Xenophon said the matter was “regrettable”, and the issue was with his lawyers.

Under defamation law, an offended person has one year under which to take action.

That means Mr Xenophon could drop the case, or simply hold off on making a decision about further action until after the state election on March 17.

Such a move would avoid exacerbating the ugly squabble during an election campaign as Mr Xenophon seeks to position himself as different to other politicians who become consumed by personal attacks.

However, refusing to progress the case could strengthen Mr Marshall’s ongoing political claim that supporting Mr Xenophon at the ballot box could result in the re-election of a Labor government.

Premier Jay Weatherill has scoffed at the claim he’s done a deal with Mr Xenophon.

He also attacked Mr Xenophon on grounds including that the SA Best leader was a former young Liberal and his candidates are defectors from Mr Marshall’s party.

Mr Weatherill also has threatened a defamation action during the campaign, firing off a letter to a presumptive rival in his safe Labor seat of Cheltenham.

Businessman Vince Scali plans to run against Mr Weatherill and had a van that brands the Premier a “liar”.